It's all about love

[January 25, 2016]

As I read over my journal of this past week to see what I could put in this blog I noticed a theme. The theme for this week and really the overall theme of the whole mission is Love. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about love. Our Heavenly Father's Plan for His children is all about love. The Temple and the beautiful ordinances performed there are all about love. Families are all about love.

This is a quote from one of my journal entries this week:
"The special thing about the  temple tonight were the workers. I felt like it was my special day. I felt so much love from all of them. Everyone that I saw hugged me and made me feel so special. I love these sisters so much."

Another night a group from the Linde Ward (that we attend on Sundays) was in the temple. It was so sweet to see them. They feel like family to us. A sweet woman who always bears her testimony in Quechua (the indigenous language of Bolivia) just had her son return from his mission and both of them were there. She was excited to introduce him to me.

Charlie mentioned in the last blog entry about visiting the Flores couple, very sweet and very poor. I wanted to learn some more phrases in Quechua so I could communicate (at least help her feel welcome and loved) a little with her. Some of the sisters that serve with me in the temple speak Quechua. When they heard I wanted to learn Quechua they were all willing to help. It was fun to have so many come up and give me a new phrase or ask me a question in Quechua. I love these sisters!

Hna Eguino is a darling sister ordinance worker close to 80 years of age. She loves everyone and everyone loves her. She especially loves the North American missionaries. She is always smiling and hugging (even more than the rest of us). I love to hear her perform the ordinances, with such feeling, testimony and love. She reminds me of my mother. At times one of her grandchildren will come to the temple and she is so excited to introduce them to all of us. Her daughter who lives far away came to visit this week. They attended the Temple a lot together. One night I was assigned to help with the session that she and her daughter were in. I loved watching them together. They reminded me of my mother and me when we would go to the temple together. I was so touched by the great mother-daughter love they showed. I shared this with Hna Eguino and she told me she would be my mother away from home.

Today is my Mother's Birthday. She is a very young 90 years old. I got to talk with and see her and my sisters yesterday on Skype. We have a slumber party every year for her birthday so they all Skyped with me. Their theme this year was "Love". I love these beautiful, faithful, talented, fun, intelligent, spiritual, loving women. It was so fun to see them, I almost felt like I was there.





Here is a picture of my beautiful mother at one of our last Slumberettes in American Fork, Utah. Jo always gets us matching pajamas. Isn't she beautiful!










We were able to teach our first Sunday School lesson yesterday. It was a wonderful experience. Charlie did a beautiful job, everyone in the class participated, I participated as well. I am looking forward to getting to know these sweet people better and seeing their progress as they prepare and work towards going to the Temple.

Last but not least, we are so grateful that we can see, through Skype and Face Time, our children and grandchildren each week. Their lives have not all been easy since we've been gone and some are experiencing very hard trials right now, but they say our mission is blessing them. I do know with all my heart that The Lord keeps His promises and He has told us He will take care of our children while we are serving. I'm grateful for this testimony and for the faith and strength our children exhibit as they faithfully meet their challenges and as they lovingly serve and support each other.

Preparing for the Temple

[January 19, 2016]

On Sunday, we were invited to work with some of the members of the Rosedal Ward to either help them prepare to go to the temple, or to encourage them to work towards being Temple Workers. We got to meet a few of them there at church. One is a widower who needs some encouragement, another was a couple where the husband is endowed, but the wife is not, yet. The goal is to work towards their being sealed as a family in the temple.

The last one we met was an older couple, the Flores - easily in their eighties. She has been a member for 30 years or more. From what we gathered, she married her current husband some 15-16 years ago in Oruro. They've been going to church together ever since they got married.

In the course of the conversation, the question as to whether he had ever been baptized came up, so the High Priest Quorum Leader said he would check on that. He then made an appointment with them and us to meet at their home later in the afternoon.

So, Molly and I went to the Flores' home with the High Priest Group Leader and his father, who is a counselor in the Temple Presidency - President Mogrovejo.

Their home (rented room) was a single, very humble room with their kitchen outdoors to the side (with rabbits, dogs, chickens, etc. wandering around inside and out).

Just as a bit of background, I need to describe how "homes" are constructed here (outside the ritzy area, where they look very much like home stateside would look).

The typical home is a series of rooms built along the insides of a wall encompassing a lot that might be 40-50 feet on a side. The inside of the lot is open, where they might wash clothes, dishes, etc. The water for the family is piped in here. If they have piped in water, they will probably have a plumbed bathroom as one of the rooms along the walls. The center area in the nicer "homes" is tiled, or concrete at least, with good drainage built in. In the case of the Flores', the center area was just dirt/mud/rocks - very difficult to navigate.

In many cases, multiple families might rent rooms from the owners of the lot, with each family having a room to themselves, sharing the kitchen, possibly, and sharing the bathroom. As could be imagined, the owners really make or break the living conditions. Because the Flores are so poor, they have to take what they can get. Hopefully the ward can figure out how to help them find a better situation soon.

The conditions are very poor, and the High Priest Quorum has been working to improve things for them - added a concrete step outside their room to make entry and exit safer, planning to paint and clean things up, and eventually help them find a place for them where they can be better watched over. All they have for income is a government subsidy that amounts to 400 Bs a month - about $USD 60. That has to pay for rent, food, any medical care beyond visits to a doctor's office, etc. He has cataracts, so he no longer can read much, and is very hard of hearing.

As we visited with them, though, their love for each other was clear. He would pat her hand, and was so very attentive as they visited with us. Sure enough, he never was baptized. Because he was attending church faithfully with her when they moved here, everyone just assumed he was a member. In addition, he is very fluent in his understanding of the Bible - he's studied it his entire life. That contributed, I'm sure, to people just assuming he was a member.

So, the Ward Mission Leader has contacted the missionaries, and they'll work with him through the discussions. If he chooses to be baptized, we'll start working with them on Temple Preparation then.

Afterwards, we went to visit another couple - the Siles - who were among the first temple workers when the temple was dedicated nearly sixteen years ago. They've been married for over 60 years, but they are both spry and very alert and fun to visit with.

They told us of their conversion, which was very interesting.

They moved to Oruro when their oldest daughters were older teenagers. Hno. Siles worked out of town, so Hna. Siles was basically raising the family. The girls heard of the church through friends, and wanted to go with them. They got baptized, and some years later, the oldest one chose to serve a mission. When she got home, she gave her mother a Book of Mormon and told her she needed to read it. As she read, she says that she was just filled with the spirit. She got baptized, and the second daughter went on a mission. When she got home, she told her father that he needed to quit drinking and join the church with the rest of his family. So he decided to investigate, and ended up being baptized as well.

Since their baptism, they have shared the Book of Mormon with all their family members, spouses, etc. According to Hna. Siles, many, many others have joined the church, with some 27 having served missions as a result of their daughters joining the church so many years ago.

Their home was typical as well - except very much better cared for. The center court was tiled, walls were painted and plastered, and very clean. The "living room", where we visited them, was immaculate, but with well-worn furniture. Just like with the Flores, they had a family renting a room in their lot. Conditions, though, were very much better than with the Flores.

So, all of this reminds me of my time so long ago of being a missionary here, and makes me more appreciative of the work and sacrifices that these members make. And of the blessings they are receiving.

As we work with them to achieve their goals of coming to the temple, of receiving the blessings of the temple ordinances, and of being sealed as families, we are grateful for the power and blessings of the temple that we've seen in our family.

Families are forever, and as we pray for and anxiously wait for and listen for news as our children and their families work and strive and live through their trials, we are sweetly comforted knowing that Heavenly Father knows us and our family, and will always be there to lift us up.

Being here at the temple is so sweet. To see the continued missionary work that we are able to assist in to bless the lives of so many here gives us so much joy. And to know that the power of the temple ordinances, and the promised blessings of the gospel and of the covenants we make in the temple will bless our sweet children and their families in the face of difficult times gives us deep peace.

Serving Others

[December 30, 2015 - January 12, 2016]

Just to catch up a little bit...

On New Year's day, we took a walk up the hill behind the Temple. There are some radio/TV antennas up there, and a maintenance building. While heading back down to the Temple, we came across this little Cochabambina. This is very typical dress for the more indigenous of the population. She's holding a bowl full of choclo - big kernels of corn that have been boiled.

We also met this very relaxed bovine:

Although he was behind a fence, he appeared capable of finding a way to get out if he had wanted.

On Wednesday and Thursday (6th and 7th), we got to coordinate the quarterly visit of the Cochabamba Mission missionaries to the temple. There are about 150 in the area, and they are split across four sessions - two each day. It is really fun to visit with them, and see their youth, vitality, and energy.

I visited with one Elder who is serving in Arani right now (a few miles from Punata, and in the Punata Ward), and is very driven to learn. He has taught himself Quechua. He says that there are only two member families there in Arani right now that are active.

On Thursday, I met an Elder who came in October to do work for one of his ancestors, but didn't quite finish. Last time, he got the initiatory done, but couldn't get the endowment finished. When he came this morning, he recognized me and told me he was going to do the endowment today. It was really fun talking to him. On the way out of the temple at 10:00 or so, there were still a lot of missionaries milling around taking pictures in front of the Temple. He was there, and wanted to take a picture with us.

On Sunday, Molly and I read a chapter in Neal A. Maxwell's book, "All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience" together about Service. It was really meaningful - there are lots of ways to serve, but we have to start by thinking outside our own interests. In our world today, it seems that everyone is lobbying for their "rights", while efforts towards lifting others, serving, sharing blessings, and watching out for others has been completely lost. At least in the visible, public arena.

We are really blessed here to be able to see all the small acts of love and service that these generous, kind, Bolivian members offer. Fortunately, these kinds of efforts exist in all parts of the world - they just don't get any publicity.

On Monday, we had FHE with the missionaries. President Jensen talked about the different versions and edits of the Book of Mormon through the years. Changes to the Book of Mormon over the years have been attempts to clarify and correct errors based on handwriting style, grammar clarifications, spellings, etc. None have changed the purity and simplicity of the doctrine. It was interesting to think about all the problems that would arise in printing a book that has 150 million copies having been printed and distributed through the years.

Lisa Wiggins, Sawyer's other Grandma, texted Molly to let her know that Sawyer is doing very well. They removed his PIC line, and are looking towards April to revise his colostomy.

It's interesting to note that the promises of the Lord aren't that all our problems will disappear when we make good choices, when we serve others, and even when we consecrate our time and talents to His service, but that He will make us capable of bearing the burdens. The great Plan of Salvation and Happiness are designed to help us learn to be more like Him, to bring us closer together as His children, and to progress. We are truly grateful for that Plan, and for a family who are all working hard to love and support their families as they progress towards that goal.

Goodbye 2015

[January 5, 2016]

It seems to me that 2015 came and went very quickly. A year ago we were getting things ready to start our mission papers. What a year it has been. A lot of changes and a lot of learning. We have been here in Cochabamba for a little more than six months. It still amazes me everyday when we get to walk up those beautiful steps to the Temple, that we are actually here and get to serve in The House of Lord every day. I love the work that we do in the Temple. It is a real privilege, joy and blessing.

More than anything, I know that Heavenly Father knows all of His children (that includes everyone in the whole world who has ever lived and will yet live on the earth). He loves each one of us individually. This knowledge makes all the difference in my life. I know He cares and listens to me. He knows my concerns and the desires of my heart. He wants all of us to be happy and He wants us to include Him in our lives. He will help us if we seek Him.

I have gained a greater appreciation and love for my Savior Jesus Christ as I have served in the Temple. Words cannot express my deep gratitude for all He has done for me, especially His Atoning Sacrifice  in behalf of all mankind. That He felt all of our pains, sorrows, sufferings and guilt. That He took upon Himself our sins and suffered for them that we wouldn't have to suffer if we would only repent.

I see Their hands in my life and in the lives of my children and others who are close to me. If we are paying attention, we will see how They help us each day. They have put words in my mouth, even Spanish words, when I have needed to calm a crying child or help a sister. They put people in our path that we can help or that can be a blessing to us or our families.

They have a wonderful plan for all of us.

Part of that plan includes passing from this life to the next. My Uncle Floyd completed this earthly phase of his life Saturday night January 2, 2016. My two sisters Lyndie and Nancy, and my niece Cori were with him in the hospital when he died. He had been living in a Veterans Nursing home in Colorado for the past few years. He was far away from family. My mother felt like he needed to be close. She and Nancy found a good place for him to live in the same town of Fallbrook, California where my mother and sister live.  My sisters Melody and Jo went and got him right before Christmas. He spent a good Christmas day with my mother, sister and family. We are so grateful that he was able to spend his last days with family.

Uncle Floyd has always been one of my heroes. He would have had his 92nd birthday in a few weeks. My mother was his 2 year old birthday present. He was a good big brother to her. He always seemed like a movie star to me, so handsome and so strong, especially when he wore his uniform. He was a California Highway Patrolman. A very good, kind, generous man. He had a hard life, but lived the best he knew how. His passing was a graduation from this life. He graduated with flying colors. I can imagine him in the arms of his mother and older brother (who died in infancy) and my Daddy. I'm excited for him to learn the gospel and feel the Love of His Savior and know that his righteous efforts will be rewarded.

I love my Uncle Floyd, goodbye for now.   

Christmas Week

[December 15-23, 2015]

What a difference a year makes! Here we are in Bolivia - 80 degree weather (in the daytime), no snow in sight, no kids to wake us up at 6:00 am, no real tree (we do have a small, make-believe one we found in a closet down the hall - it's festive enough, I suppose), and the family is all 4500 to 5000 miles away.

But, it's still Christmas, and working here at the temple added a wonderful dimension to it.

The temple was open on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was pretty slow. But, just to show the dedication of the members here, a couple from Tarija (18 hours away by bus) came with their children to receive their own endowments and be sealed as a family. I was blessed to be able to help them, and it was obvious that they were very well prepared, and eager to have these sacred ordinances done for them and their family. They were really cute together.

On Thursday, we had lunch with the missionaries, and spent a quiet Christmas Eve together, just Molly and I. She has really worked hard to keep the family involved through the distance with her idea of an Advent Chain with memories from everyone in the family. We hung each memory over a picture on the wall in the "dining room" in the shape of a Christmas Tree (more or less):

It was fun to be reminded of what everyone thought was memorable from Christmas in the past. It was sweet that so many of those memories were so closely tied to simple family interactions.

So, on Christmas morning, to continue one of the traditions - the 6:00 am "wake Dad up to go turn on the Christmas tree so we could open presents" part - I texted all the kids at 6:00 am asking them why they hadn't come and jumped in bed with Dad and Mom this year? Yes, I realize that they would have received it at 3:00 or 4:00 am, and interestingly enough, one of them responded immediately. Becky was still up wrapping presents! Quite fun.

We got a very nice, well-crafted video from Seth and his family. It was about an hour long, and highlighted each family member. They told us stories, sang songs, showed clips from their school program, and just made our day that much better. They seem to be enjoying living in Wisconsin.

We talked to all of the other kids as well. They seem to be doing well, supporting each other, helping in every way they can to be a wonderful support to us and to each other. It was a very enjoyable Christmas day for us.

So, we found that we can still enjoy Christmas, and family, from so far away. And, with the added dimension of the temple, of the work done there to unite families, and provide the blessings of the gospel to ancestors long since passed away, it just makes it that much sweeter. The focus of every day at the temple is on Jesus Christ and The Father, and the magnificent plan of happiness that encompasses Jesus' birth and life. We're grateful to be here.

Cochabamba Temple - Dec 26, 2015

Nearly Christmas Eve

[December 14-23, 2015]

As Christmas approaches, I look back at what the last year has brought. We've been here in Bolivia for six months now, following the whirlwind of selling the house and condo, moving Grandma Mary to California, moving us to West Valley (along with the broken pipe and flood, of course), getting everything ready to go, and traveling for what seemed like forever before arriving here to find sweet people and lots of love and support.

Our first few days were filled with some sweet, joyous reunions with dear members, learning how to find things, getting used to a wholly different lifestyle and schedule, and figuring out how to stay in touch with family back home. Everything we were used to changed very quickly.

Then, with Sawyer getting sick, we had to address lots of emotions and concerns - how to support and help him and Sam from such a distance. It would have been so nice to have been able to hug them, and hold them, and let them know we were there to help, but being so far away left us to rely completely on the promises and blessings of the gospel, and on our faith and knowledge that God is in charge, knows us, loves us, knows our needs, and knows best how to help us become our best selves. Which brings us to the real message of Christmas, and the lessons we have learned by serving in the temple.

I have come to know even more than before, how important He is to us. Through the ordinances and covenants we make in the temple, through the instruction we receive there, through the peace and love present there, I have a stronger sense and testimony of how important His life and mission were to me personally and to our family. The fact that we are sealed together for eternity gives a perspective to life that can't be obtained otherwise. And if it weren't for His Atonement, His life, His example, His love and teachings, we would be left on our own.

So, as you celebrate Christmas this week, among the food and treats, gifts and gift-giving, family and friends, ponder for a few moments what life would be like without Him, and share your love and gratitude for the blessings you have with your closest loved ones - your children and your family.

We are so glad to be here. I am learning more every day. This is such a tender, enjoyable, sacred experience.

As for the rest of the week....

Monday 14 December 2015
Molly and I did the FHE for the missionaries tonight. She put together the Christmas story from the scriptures with the hymns, and we had the missionaries read all the parts while I played and she directed the hymns. She made wassail, hot cocoa, and truffles (Oreo cookies crumbled up, mixed with cream cheese, and dipped in chocolate.) It was as close as we could get to our normal Christmas tradition with our children at home.

Wednesday 16 December 2015
Rene Tapia came to visit us today. He was one of my companions in Punata. He has seven children and 20 grandchildren. Two of his children live in Spain, and two live in Argentina. He comes here frequently - he has a sister that lives in the Sarco ward, so we might get to visit some more in the future. Sweet memories.

Friday 18 December 2015
Molly and I were in charge of the Baptistry today. We had two groups who came with their youth. The last one was from Santa Cruz, and they were so very reverent and respectful. One funny thing happened - when the first girl was baptized, her long hair floated on the water, so she had to be baptized again. When I looked over at the other girls, they were all putting their hair up in buns and laughing. Cute.

Molly:
I couldn't have said it better. I am so grateful for my companion, family, dear friends who have blessed and continue to bless our lives and especially my Savior Jesus Christ. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
 

Loving Our Mission

[December 13, 2015]

This week in the Temple has been a little different for me. Saturday I served in the Guardaria (nursery in the Temple for the children while their parents are receiving their endowments).

The first family had 3 children. I had about 15 minutes with them before we were called to go upstairs to be sealed. I felt very blessed to get to be in the sealing room with them.

The children were a boy Jaido (14), Camila (7),  and Isaac (2). What sweet kids. They were already dressed and looked beautiful in their white clothes. I have been practicing the song Sonrisas - "Smiles", or "If You Chance to Meet a Frown" - for such an occasion. However, when I sang it, Isaac cried and didn't want a thing to do with me for a good while. I guess my frowny face is a scary one. He did warm up to me eventually. After we got back I read some books with Camila while Jaido helped Isaac. Then I visited with Jaido. I loved talking with him. He said his mother had been an inactive member for a long time and one day the missionaries knocked on their door. They had the lessons and his dad accepted the gospel. He and Jaido got baptized on the same day (like me and my Dad). Now their family was being sealed. What a sweet story. A very sweet handsome young man.

The second family had three boys, Jose (10), Mateo (8), Tiago (6). They were all dressed in matching suits. They were so smart and taught so well in their home. I had a lot of fun with these boys. We read books and played I spy with my little eye (yo veo con mis pequeńos ojos alguna cosa qué es ____?). They love to sing and we got the Children's Song book out. They took turns choosing songs which we all sang. They all told me stories, and they even played the "Hand" game with me. We also talked about being a forever family.

What a sweet experience for me to be with these sweet children. I miss playing with my own grandchildren so I enjoy being the "White Grandma".

Three days this week I was assigned to the baptisty, twice with my own companion. I always love serving with him. The youth are so fun. There is a room that they all wait in for the Temple President to speak to them and for me to give them instructions. I like to visit with them before the President comes.

One group was from Tarija, which is very far away. I was asking them what it was like to take a flota "bus" all this way. They said it was like a party without food. They wanted to know what State I was from. When I told them Utah, one girl gasped and said "Where the Prophet lives?" They asked if I ever get to see him. I told them I hadn't met him but I did get to meet President Uchtdorf at Deseret Book with my mother. They are so enthusiastic about everything and I love working with them.

I got to be in charge of the Roperia (clothing rental) one day. It was my first time (in charge). The most challenging part for me in the Roperia was putting the person's ID number in the computer. I don't hear numbers very often and when they are said fast it is a bit tricky. I really enjoyed it. There was really only one brother that was hard for me to understand.

Yesterday, December 12 is my father's birthday. He was born in 1908 and passed away July 3, 1993. I think of him a lot here in Bolivia. He would have loved these good, hard working, humble, soft spoken, gentle, loving people. He was like that himself. He was one of the most Christ-like people you could ever meet. He truly loved all people and never judged them. He was always helping someone. He was genuine. He was honest and kind and very hard working. You could always count on him. He lived what he believed. He loved the Lord and he loved his fellow-man. He was a fun Daddy, who taught by example, usually while he was working the horses or mucking out the stalls or while he was driving us somewhere. He knew and loved the Bible. I loved to hear him tell the stories in the Old Testament in chronological order. They were his Heroes. He loved his daughters and most of all he loved our mother. To him, she was the most beautiful, charming, witty, intelligent, most perfect woman on earth. I'm grateful for the example of their good marriage.

There is so much more I could say about this great man. But if I only had one word to describe him it would be "love", which in his words is the greatest thing in the world and without love there is nothing. His love is forever. 

The Cochabamba Temple in December - Summer. 

The Cochabamaba Temple in July - Winter.

[This is Charles]
René Tapia called me today. He was my first companion in Punata. I learned a lot from him about the Bolivian culture, the people, and how to work hard and enjoy life at the same time. He lives in Montero, now, and says he has white hair! That's pretty unusual for a Bolivian. He's coming to Cochabamba in January - I look forward to meeting him.

I inserted the pictures above to give you a feel for how different everything is between winter and summer here. I the first picture, the lawn looks worse because they ripped it out and it's just growing back. But the flowers and everything else around the temple is so beautiful at this time of the year. The weather is a bit warmer - it actually gets up into the high 80's on some days, but the nights cool off into the 60's, so it allows us to cool off the apartment and makes it very pleasant.

Our service in the temple is so sweet. Not a week goes by without our meeting and assisting members in doing the work for their families. This week, we both worked with a young man and his mother who had come from Sucre to do the work for and seal his great-grandparents on his father's side. They finished everything just before the temple closed on Saturday afternoon. It was so sweet to see him and his mother working together on this.